Lumix GH1: First Impressions

Yesterday Panasonic sent us their latest Lumix GH1, a fully capable 1080/24p and 720/60p DSLR.

While you can imagine that I didn’t have time to fully appreciate the camera, I admit that I am stunned. Stunned by the video quality and quite impressed by the quality of all the pictures I took with it… The GH1 isn’t for everyone, sure it will be difficult shoot your kids or a crazy dog running around… but as you can see below it makes quite impressive videos (shot in SH Mode 720/60p, and edited on Final Cut Pro, which even in its AVCHD version was never capable of loading any video files…).

We’ll give you a full review of this camera next week, alongside the Nikon D5000 that we just received.

A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that uses a mechanical mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens to an optical viewfinder on the back of the camera.

Indeed, but how will you name it ? Compact 4/3rd ?

Alkit

How do you compare the video (and audio) recording capability of this GH1 to 5D MK II ?

http://www.akihabaranews.com Daimaou

Difficult to compare them. the 5D MK II, has way more “RAW” power than the GH1 when it comes to Video (Color, DOF…)… But the GH1 in AVCHD 720p is really impressive, give nice video and has a Nice Microphone… (the 5D MK II can support an External Stereo Mic). The GH1 is easier to go around, has WAY more functions for video than the 5D MK II… I think that the GH1 is more suited to many users and will give you instantly nice videos, while the 5D MK II will be much harder to handle, but once you succeed you will be blow away.

tenshi

Yes, it is indeed a Micro 4/3 format camera.

How’s the video files btw?

Quote from Panasonic’s site: “*Full-HD (1920 × 1080) movies are output by the image sensor at 24p (NTSC)/25p (PAL), and recorded at 60i (NTSC)/50i (PAL). HD (1280 × 720) video is output and recorded by the image sensor at 60p (NTSC)/50p (PAL).”

Kinda puzzled about the way they do things to output 1080p24 but 720p60 seems promising nonetheless! =)

satoru

Do you know if this Lumix GH1 is available in Japan with english version ? If yes, where I can find it ?
Tks a lot.